The University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish cemented their status as football powerhouses with a thrilling 27-24 victory over Penn State in the College Football Championship semifinals, pushing their record to an impressive 14-1. This triumph not only secures a place in the championship game against the winner of the Ohio State versus Texas matchup but also nets the Irish a significant $20 million prize, as they reap the full benefits of their independent status.
Meanwhile, the NFL continues to dominate television ratings in North America, despite a slight dip in numbers due to a lackluster finish to the season. New streaming rights holders like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are seeing tremendous viewership, with Netflix averaging 24 million for its doubleheader on Christmas Day and Amazon growing its Thursday Night Football audience by 11%. Notably, the Detroit Lions emerged as the poster team, attracting massive viewership across various networks.
In contrast, the NHL faces challenges, particularly with its declining viewership for the Discover Winter Classic. The recent matchup between the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues drew less than one million viewers, marking a concerning low. As the league shifts next year's event to January 2 at LoanDepot Park in Miami, concerns about inconsistent scheduling and competition with college football arise. This week's bear market also spotlighted the Las Vegas Raiders, who made headlines by firing head coach Antonio Pierce, marking a troubling trend of instability within the franchise.
